Classes at Papua New Guinea's Lae University of Technology in the Morobe province will resume on Thursday as a student boycott over the sacking of their Vice Chancellor has ended.

It comes as a government sanctioned inquiry over the sacking of a former Vice Chancellor amongst other administrative issues at the Unitech started this week.

For the last two weeks students have been boycotting classes over claims the Vice Chancellor Dr Albert Schram's contract was terminated illegally and wanted him reinstated. The Students' Representative Council President, Livingstone Hosea says Doctor Schram was terminated for cleaning up the Unitech administration of financial mismanagement and maladministration. He says the students will attend lectures and allow the inquiry into the VC's sacking and other administrative issues affecting Unitech to conducts its investigations and reveal the truth.

PNG's acting Higher Education, Science, Research and Technology Minister, Don Polye has commended the students for ending the boycott. He says their concerns over alleged misuse of university funds, maladministration including the alleged illegal sacking of Doctor Schram will be investigated.

Prime Minister Peter O'Neill has appointed Mr Polye, who is the Treasurer after former Higher Education Minister, David Arore was arrested and charged for allegedly bribing two officials conducting elections for his Ijivitari electorate in the Oro province last year. The Lae Unitech Council has accused Dr Albert Schram of forging his educational qualifications to gain employment with the University, a claim which Dr Schram has denied.

The government has appointed retired Judge, Justice Mark Sevua to inquire into the allegations. Justice Sevua has appeal to authorities to allow Dr Albert Schram to return to the country and answer the allegations levelled against him. He says it would be travesty of justice if Dr Schram is denied his natural right to clear his name.

The PNG government deported Dr Schram twice from entering the country early last month.The Inquiry will also establish if the former University Council followed existing laws in hiring and firing the VC. It will also inquire if the former Unitech Council and administration allegedly misapplied Unitech funds.

Members of the Inquiry team are already at the Lae Unitech campus for the inquiry.

About Me

Committed to making a real difference by leading positive change in higher education.

For over 10 years
from 1993-2004, I worked in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean
in the field of environmental and sustainable development policy, and
environmental economics. My research interest is the role of technology and private business in the development of countries.

As an academic I have 17 peer review publications in various humanities and social sciences disciplines, supervised 5 PhD students and 18 Masters thesis.

As a consultant I worked as head of the environmental
studies department of SIDE, S.A. a consultancy company with
office in Mexico City, San José, and Lima I worked closely together
with many government organizations and private companies. For the World Bank’s Economic Development Institute I carried out two regional studies on sustainable development policies. For the European Commission I wrote one report on corporate social responsiblity, and one on the green economy for the European External Action Service.

Currently, I am Vice-Chancellor or Chief Executive Officer of the Papua New Guinea University of Papua New Guinea, in Lae.